Gerald Squires' final artistic statement to the world

A page from "The Legend of Job," an illuminated manuscript by Boyd Chubbs and the late Gerald Squires, soon to be released. — submitted image

A page from "The Legend of Job," an illuminated manuscript by Boyd Chubbs and the late Gerald Squires, soon to be released. — submitted image

A page from "The Legend of Job," an illuminated manuscript by Boyd Chubbs and the late Gerald Squires, soon to be released. — submitted image

Before he passed away in October 2015, Gerald Squires had spent two years working on a stunning project with fellow artist Boyd Chubbs.

Stunning may not be a strong enough word for the work: “The Legend of Job,” a limited edition, hand-bound illuminated manuscript of the Book of Job from the Hebrew Bible, designed and meticulously lettered by Chubbs with illuminations by Squires.

Only 50 of the books will be available, and are currently in production. They will sell for $2,300 each.

Squires, a renowned painter, printmaker and sculptor, explained the reasoning behind the project in an introduction to the book.

“The darkening shadow of Job has followed me all my life,” he wrote. “In the Book of Job, when God asks Satan, ‘Whence cometh thou?’ and Satan answers, ‘From going to and fro on the Earth and walking up and down on it,’ that line has haunted me all my life. It was also the beginning of my search for hope and redemption here on this floating rock.”

Squires passed away just over a year ago at age 77, after an illness. A native of Change Islands, he was a member of the Order of Canada, the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, and a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Hall of Honour, whose work was shown at his own gallery in downtown St. John’s, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, and the Emma Butler Gallery, among other places.

Chubbs is accomplished in visual art, poetry and music, and is known for his ink drawings, which generally include a sense of myth. He regularly shows his work at the Christina Parker Gallery

“The Legend of Job,” 15 inches by 11 inches in size and 46 pages, is being hand-bound by Brian Roberts.

"As Gerry's final artistic statement to the world, may it take its place among the finest treasures of Newfoundland Art," wrote Roberts.

tbradbury@thetelegram.com

Twitter: @tara_bradbury

Stunning may not be a strong enough word for the work: “The Legend of Job,” a limited edition, hand-bound illuminated manuscript of the Book of Job from the Hebrew Bible, designed and meticulously lettered by Chubbs with illuminations by Squires.

Only 50 of the books will be available, and are currently in production. They will sell for $2,300 each.

Squires, a renowned painter, printmaker and sculptor, explained the reasoning behind the project in an introduction to the book.

“The darkening shadow of Job has followed me all my life,” he wrote. “In the Book of Job, when God asks Satan, ‘Whence cometh thou?’ and Satan answers, ‘From going to and fro on the Earth and walking up and down on it,’ that line has haunted me all my life. It was also the beginning of my search for hope and redemption here on this floating rock.”

Squires passed away just over a year ago at age 77, after an illness. A native of Change Islands, he was a member of the Order of Canada, the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, and a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Hall of Honour, whose work was shown at his own gallery in downtown St. John’s, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, and the Emma Butler Gallery, among other places.

Chubbs is accomplished in visual art, poetry and music, and is known for his ink drawings, which generally include a sense of myth. He regularly shows his work at the Christina Parker Gallery

“The Legend of Job,” 15 inches by 11 inches in size and 46 pages, is being hand-bound by Brian Roberts.

"As Gerry's final artistic statement to the world, may it take its place among the finest treasures of Newfoundland Art," wrote Roberts.